After 7-year gap, PM Modi in China as tariff war brews; spotlight on meeting with Xi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in China on Saturday evening, marking his first visit in over seven years. The trip, focused on attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, carries added weight amid rising global concern over U.S. tariff actions that have shaken major economies.

While Modi’s primary stop is the SCO summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1, his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday has drawn heightened attention. With India-US trade ties under strain, the Modi-Xi talks are expected to review economic cooperation and explore steps to further stabilise relations strained by the eastern Ladakh standoff.

“Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders,” Modi posted on social media after arriving from Japan, the second leg of his two-nation trip. He was welcomed at his hotel by performers showcasing Indian classical music and dance.

The prime minister is also set to hold bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other global leaders on the summit sidelines.

Ahead of the visit, Modi underscored the importance of India-China cooperation in global economic stability. In an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun, he said, “Stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity.”

Modi’s visit follows Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to India earlier this month. After talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, both sides announced steps for a “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” partnership, including reopening of border trade and resumption of direct flights.

Ties have been gradually recalibrated after the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Disengagement at Demchok and Depsang last year helped ease tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

This is Modi’s first trip to China since June 2018, when he last attended the SCO summit. Xi’s last visit to India was in October 2019 during their second informal summit.